Earthquake news: Quake toll climbs to 71; landslides, rains hamper rescue work

GANGTOK: Battling landslides and torrential rains in quake-hit Sikkim, rescue teams got into full swing today as the death toll in the 6.8 magnitude temblor mounted to 71, including 41 in the Himalayan state.

Last evening's earthquake with its epicentre near the border with Nepal, left a trail of devastation damaging roads, buildings and other structures, uprooting mobile phone towers and snapping communication and power lines.

After shocks made people panic in several areas forcing them to spend the night outdoors.

The death toll may go up. Union Home Secretary R K Singh said nothing can be ruled out as people may still be trapped under the debris of collapsed houses since rescue teams were still trying hard to reach all villages.

Food packets were air dropped in the inaccessible quake-affected areas.

Two medical teams with doctors and paramedics reached worst affected Mangan and Sangthan with the help of helicopters and Border Roads Organisation has been able to reopen the Himalayan state's life line-the National Highway 31-A, Singh said.

West and South districts in Sikkim remained mostly inaccessible to the Army in the earlier part of the day due to landslides and inclement weather and rescuers were facing an uphill task to reach these areas, Major General S L Narasimhan, GOC 17 Mountain Division, said.

Sikkim accounted for 41 deaths alone, with most casualties taking place in the North District and in towns and villages like Rangpo, Dikchu, Singtam and Chungthang located along the course of Teesta river, officials in the district control room said.

The Home Secretary said ten bodies of employees of Teesta Hydro Electric Project were recovered from the debris in Singtam.

The overnight toll climbed to 68 which included nine deaths in West Bengal and seven each in Bihar, Nepal and Tibet, official reports said. Over a hundred people have been injured.